


Show Me A Silver Lining

by ShinySurfinRaichu



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 04:46:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13628883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinySurfinRaichu/pseuds/ShinySurfinRaichu
Summary: After Aloy does something she know will hurt Ikrie, the two fight and then work to patch up their shaky friendship.





	Show Me A Silver Lining

**Author's Note:**

> first fanfic ive published in well over a year, so hopefully things will only go up from here!!
> 
> not exactly mutual pining, but more of a 'There' s some obvious chemistry between us but we've got shit to work out first' kind of deal?
> 
> and i will gladly take aloy/ikrie prompts if you want to message me here or on tumblr, @snowghostikrie!!!

It had been close to three weeks since Aloy had last made the long trek up into the Banuk territory of Ban Ur. She had really meant to get back sooner, but life had a way of tripping you up; especially if you happened to play an integral part in saving the world not all that long ago.

Aloy really hated all of the fuss, hated being the center of attention that bordered on hero-worship(now when the attention was well deserved, perhaps she liked it...just a bit). It wasn't that she hated being known as a helper of the people, really she liked being able to DO something for those who needed it, but with upwards of 6 errands a day to run Aloy couldn't help but push Ban Ur to the back of her mind.

Finally, things died down and she managed to sneak away before her charity could give in to another sad, puppy dog face. She could tell that she was getting close when the air stopped warming up under the midday sun. Another days walk and it would cease to burn away the nights frost too. Even now, soft flakes coated large patches of dead grass and stone.

As Aloy made her way along the familiar path, the light crunch of her steps faded into the background and she let her mind wander. It would be nice to return to the Banuk, to mingle with the people, and of course, to help them as well. It had been too long since she had last spoke to Aratak and to CYAN. Too long since she had last visited the hunting grounds, and challenged herself alongside Ikrie. Too long since Aloy had last heard her voice.

Suddenly, she was wrenched from her thoughts by the sound of metal tearing against stone. Aloy ducked down and rolled off the path instinctively. Peering over the rock she now hid behind, her eyes scoured the area quickly. The source of the noise seemed to be coming far to her left, just out of plain sight.

Her focus lit up and scanned the moving shapes, revealing one human-sized shadow perched precariously on some boulders and the hulking mass of a furious Sawtooth. Aloy was on her feet and back across the path before she even knew it. Her body always one step ahead, launching herself into the low-hanging branches of a nearby tree. 

The enraged machine was growling far too loudly to notice Aloy traversing the treetops up to it, even if it wasn't currently fixated on the dancing shape just out of its reach. How that person had even managed to scale the rocks that a Sawtooth couldn't find footholds on was beyond her. If she had a second to assess the situation, she would have been impressed. 

Time was of the essence, though, so Aloy braced herself against the trunk and drew her bow in a smooth motion. Clicking her focus into life again, it didn't take long to recognize the pattern in the machine's vicious prowling. Aiming accordingly, Aloy let a tearblast arrow fly, and another followed just as swiftly.

The first sliced through the mass of wires connecting the component to the rest of the Sawtooth, and the second tore it off completely. The pieces of metal thundered to the ground heavily, the machine letting out a strangled cry, and the mystery person let out a woop of...excitement?

Suddenly they weren't so much of a mystery after all, and their path up the smooth stones wasn't much of a surprise anymore. Not that it was any less impressive, though. Aloy found herself smirking as she watched one of Ikrie's ice bombs smash into the distracted and disgruntled machine.

"Get 'em, Aloy!" Her voice rang through the air once more.

She wanted to cut back with some sort of witty quip, but the Sawtooth wasn't going to stay frozen forever. So, Aloy nocked another arrow and aimed carefully for the blaze canister now exposed on its belly. This time she used a fire arrow, and the machine burst and was engulfed by flames instantly. 

The whole ordeal was over quickly, the Sawtooth baying and crashing onto it's side. Flames flickered along every inch of it before dying out just as swiftly as they'd appeared. The machine gave one last kick, and then it stilled for good. 

Aloy took in a heavy breath, and fixed her bow back in place so she could climb back down. As soon as her feet hit the soft soil, with a muted thud, Aloy was aware of a shape skulking nearby.

She didn't have to turn to know it was Ikrie, a sudden wave of tension between them. Her shoulders set resolutely, willing herself to face Ikrie and her werak-of-one. Aloy tried to force her face into a neutral mask, but there was no hiding her searching gaze.

Ikrie returned the look with a lopsided grin, although, there was an obvious sadness below it. Her eyes were just as searching, but they hid a type of bitterness Aloy knew would be there.

They hadn't parted on the best of terms last time, even though it felt like a little scrap by now to Aloy. She had to remember that most people didn't bottle up and move on like she did. And most people weren't Ikrie, the person who had devoted her life to being her best friends shadow only to be harshly rejected.

So, not only did they have an argument the last time they spoke, but Aloy had been away for nearly three weeks without once trying to send word to the other woman. To say that Ikrie would probably be hurt would be an understatement...and she had done it anyway.

Despite all of that, and the betrayal no doubt pumping through her, Ikrie was still offering a hesitant smile to her. Aloy felt the tiniest flare of anger spark to life inside her and struggled to put it out before another fight broke out. 

This was exactly what the two of them had been spitting with anger over the last time they spoke. Here, Aloy had done something she knew would hurt and Ikrie was ready to roll over and show her belly for the slightest hint of friendship again. She had insisted that Ikrie deserved better, that she grow a backbone when it came to herself.

Ikrie had been hurt then, and looked to be about the same now. Neither of them had said a word, but apparently Aloy's face was an open book. Ikrie knew they couldn't laugh this off, and her face twisted somewhere between a growl and a frown. 

"So, not even gonna say hello?" She said.

"I...didn't expect to run into you so soon." Was all Aloy found the words to say.

Ikrie scoffed slightly, "You disappear without a word, for weeks at that. I was worried something had happened. 

The last words were thrown in after a pause, like she wasn't sure if they should be spoken at all. While they weren't antagonistic, Aloy still felt herself puffing up defensively. 

"I can take care of myself." 

"Yeah, and I can't, is that right?" Ikrie replied stiffly. 

She hadn't been expecting this, to see Ikrie staring back with equal level. Aloy wasn't one to underestimate, especially not someone as tough as Ikrie, but somehow this still caught her off guard. Like she was expecting Ikrie to give in, tuck her tail between her legs, and follow Aloy back to Ban Ur like she always had with Mailen.

Perhaps some of Aloy's fire wore off on her, or maybe this had been the straw to break the camels back, because Ikrie continued with little pause for Aloy to respond. Not that she would've responded anyway, her tongue not quite catching up to the rest of her.

"Should I have even bothered coming out here?" Ikrie asked.

"No, you shouldn't have." Aloy said, biting back the hurt.

That startled Ikrie into silence. Aloy took a hesitant step forward, guilt beginning to roll in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't enough to make her apologize, she was much too prideful for that, but it did soften her expression. Ikrie was looking away now, hands curled into tight fists at her sides. 

To Aloy's utter astonishment, she appeared to be...crying. Ikrie still wasn't looking at her, but she was making a soft, strangled noise. Aloy tried to reach a hand out in comfort, and swallowed stiffly. 

"You should have stayed at the hunting grounds, or wandered somewhere." Her voice trailed off.

There was no response, save for one of Ikrie's hand whirling around to push hers away. Aloy struggled to hide her heavy sigh. 

"Ikrie, you don't need to depend on anyone else. Not me, not Mailen." Aloy insisted.

At this Ikrie's face swung back around, red and splotchy, but viciously angry. Aloy found herself taking a step back. 

"What do you know? You don't have anyone left to depend on." Ikrie spit the words out.

"Neither do you!" Aloy snarled in turn, aiming to hurt.

"I had Mailen, and I thought I had you."

Aloy shook her head roughly, "I never said you didn't."

"You berated me the last time we saw each other, and then disappeared I thought you hated me too." Ikrie's voice threatened to crack.

"I didn't berate you-...I just...it was useless to go back to the White Teeth and try to talk to Mailen. I told them that you were dead."

"I don't care what you told them, I had to talk to her."

"You shouldn't need-"

"What I needed was for her to be my friend."

At this, the two of then finally fell silent. The tears on Ikrie's face were mostly dry now, but they left glassy tracks on her cheeks. It took all of Aloy's willpower not to look away.

"I needed you to be my friend." Ikrie continued, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aloy felt like she'd been stabbed in the gut. Her heart twisted as she stared into those dark brown eyes, almost unrecognizable without their usual lively glow. As much as her own stubbornness wanted keep fighting, she knew it was over. 

"Ikrie, I'm sorry I-" Her words were cut off.

"Are you?" Ikrie asked.

"I am, really. I just wanted you to put yourself first for once, you don't need Mailen." 

Ikrie looked like she was struggling not to argue, willing herself to understand Aloy's thought process. She shuffled her feet and then nodded after a heartbeat.

"I...I know, but just leaving like that wasn't the way to do so." Ikrie said.

Aloy nodded seriously, "It won't happen again."

The air seemed to lighten at last. Things weren't completely fixed between them, but it was a start. Ikrie stepped closer to her, starting to hold her head a little higher. Aloy, on the other hand, still had her nerves. 

Now that the argument was resolved, it was swiftly returning to the way things had been just under a month ago. When Aloy's visits became more frequent and Ikrie had...changed. A little anyway.

At some point Ikrie had grown soft around Aloy. Lingering touches on her hand or arm, the quick flit-away glances that could only mean she'd been caught staring. It all added up to a sort of intimacy Aloy wasn't sure she was ready for yet.

And maybe that had been a part of Aloy's snippiness, what drove them to bicker. No, things weren't going to be easy for them, that much was obvious; but maybe with a little more time and effort they would be. Aloy felt a small smile creep onto her face, and soon Ikrie was mirroring it. 

Yeah, with time and effort things would get easier. She could feel it in her gut.


End file.
